Quest
by panda-tiney
Summary: AU set in medieval times. This is the tale of one girl, two princes, and the destinies that await them. With magical dragons, terrible gifts, and curses galore this fairy tale is not for the faint of heart!
1. Checking Out

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi and anyone she decides to sell the rights to.  
  
A/N: I should not be starting a new fic but I am, I am finishing my old fic "Don't Leave Me" but it is under major construction so the new chapter probably won't be out for another month. This is an AU set in medieval times. I suppose this is sort of a prologue, it's an introduction of sorts. If you want to email me you can at tiney_panda@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading!  
  
***  
  
It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny.  
  
-- Jean Nidetch  
  
***  
  
She pulled the hood of her jacket far over her face again, wishing it would stop falling to her shoulders. She kept walking, one hand in front of her shielding her eyes from the pelting rain. She never faltered, blindly walking on, not stopping until her task was complete.  
  
The trees bellowed and called to her in the dark, hidden night. Things she couldn't see could be out there, clearly in front or behind her, and the rain was masking them. She realized this but walked on, she had to remember her purpose; the result of her actions now would have a phenomenal effect on her future. She wiped the water off her face only now realizing the wetness was tears and the rain beating down against her had not yet drenched her face; the hood was still up.  
  
She smiled, "Thank you dear cloak, you're about all I'll have after this." She turned back to what was ahead of her and stood in awe. She had many times come to this wall, this fortress of stone, but never in the pouring, cold night. It stood monstrous and impossible to climb, and suddenly a cloud of doubt shadowed her mind.  
  
"If I stay, I am condemning myself," she mused, "but if I go, I may as well throw myself at the thieves, and ogres, and dwarves out there," she again mused, pointing over the wall.  
  
Suddenly, a slim falcon came swooping down, "Akane! What are you doing out at such a night? Things can still be dangerous, even from inside the mansion walls!"  
  
She rolled her eyes and turned to it, "Listen Garon, I think I can take care of myself. Besides, if someone, or something, is cunning enough to over come this," she stared up at the enormous block in front of her, "terrorizing chunk of stone than they deserve to eat, pillage, or kill me in which ever deadly art they choose," she laughed.  
  
"Little princess, that is not a funny remark! Now, accompany me back to the house immediately! Your father would be disturbed to hear about this, and very ashamed," Garon said with disgust, "you are a princess to be and always will be a princess to be, nothing more and nothing less until you become queen. Believe me, you can do a lot worse than extremely rich and powerful, you should be thankful for all you have! The fact that you have the most money in the country, aside from the royal family, is astounding! Why, just the fact that you survived-"  
  
"-the assault on the carriage. Yes, let's keep bringing up my dead father! You were so kind when he was alive, what has happened to you? I am my own person and my father would be proud what I have become! I am no one else but myself, a will-be princess perhaps, but still a person," she stared him down and fierily continued, "I shall become what I choose to become! Whether that is a thief, a prisoner, or an ogre, you have no say in the matter!"  
  
"Do not make me zap you back; you know I hate doing that," he pleaded, "it really is quite annoying! Listen, you are a wonderful person and one day you will fulfill your life's purpose, but running away is not part of your future," He stared at her, perched on a near by tree branch, steadying himself, "one day you must accept this is your only choice. You are very lucky the royal family will accept you. Why if it weren't for your father's ties to the King . . . you are going to have a wonderful, exciting life," at this, her face perked up, "as a princess," he finished. Her face began to return to a steady frown, he smirked, "you've got your father's frown, and his strong will. I fear they will do more bad then good."  
  
She looked up to him questionably, "So, I am doomed to a listless, dull life, and I look like a man?" He started to chuckle and stared into her eyes.  
  
"Those are beautiful eyes you have, you know," he remarked.  
  
"These," she motioned toward her eyes, "are black burdens."  
  
"Try thinking of them as more of a gift than a curse," he told her, warily.  
  
"A "gift" you say! Do you not remember I am the only born of my family that has no such thing? Unless you have forgotten my lovely fairy godmother's so- called "gift", I am able "to see what is unseen and learn by the sword, to fight for what's right and never want to get bored." Just because Hentia was a rhyme-loving hippy, and not much of one at that, and didn't like to acknowledge "the man", it does not mean that I deserve to have to speak my mind all of the time, and search for adventures, big and small! Some woman's rights activist she is! Married to a man who is always in Glowen on "business trips"! Nabiki can make money by just standing by the door of a company and Kasumi can win the heart of any man she meets with her kind, courteous smile. I am the odd one out, the unlucky child that everyone secretly wonders about, musing how I was so fortunate to have such a respectable family." She was in tears half way through her speech and they did not cease until far after. She fell to the ground in sobs and curled up into a ball, holding herself closely. Garon looked on quite worried, knowing things the girl would soon know he felt compassion and flew down beside her.  
  
"You are a very special girl. I suppose you are worth a bit of an annoyance," he reluctantly remarked, smiling. She wiped her eyes and sniffled, her face brightening a bit.  
  
"Thank you Garon," she whispered, closing her eyes as everything began to mesh and her surroundings began to disappear.  
  
***  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Now my dear, little to-be princess, youngest of three, you must remember your two sisters are going to be married off as well, hopefully to other great men, but we still need to secure other things, and marriage will make you a fine girl. Please do not get angry," the man in front of her proposed hopefully, waiting for the barrage of screaming he knew would come next.  
  
"So I am to be married with no heed to what I want? What," she yelled furiously, "did you expect me to do? Run around dancing with ponies and picking flowers for my wedding bouquet?"  
  
"Well, I sort of hoped," he began but was cut off.  
  
"How can you decide what is right for me? You are my uncle; can you even make these decisions? What is he?" She asked, turning redder than a radish.  
  
The man's confusion was obviously displayed on his face, "I don't understand my dear."  
  
"What is he," she asked with disgust in her voice.  
  
"He is human of course," he responded, dumbfounded, "what else would he be?"  
  
"No," she explained through gritted teeth, "what is he? A noble man, baron, or duke? Is he a tradesman, perhaps even a prince?" Every title she produced she said with utter disgust, especially the final one.  
  
"Well, a prince actually," he told her nervously, noticing one of her hands balled in a fist and the other stretched out, something materializing, "but he's quite well admired, perhaps you've heard him, Prince-"  
  
She interrupted him as a broad handled sword began to materialize in her hands and she grinned widely.  
  
"You shouldn't tell me what to do, you know this is the only perk of my gift," she warned happily.  
  
He scoffed at her, "Oh Akane, don't be silly."  
  
She smirked. The handle became solid, and then the hilt around her waist, she fell lower to the ground and as the whole sword became solid, she felt the blade pull her to the floor. She fell fast and swiftly, not being able to carry the blade.  
  
The man with her burst out laughing, patted her on the top of the head, and walked out of the room as he told her sweetly, "You are so cute. The man who gets you is one lucky gentleman! I just hope you are woman enough for the boy you are to be with."  
  
"Yeah," she remarked, catching her breath from trying to lift the heavy blade, "well maybe he's not man enough for me!"  
  
He swiftly turned around and chuckled, "Oh believe me, this prince is enough of a man for himself and many others," he went on, proud to be even talking about the prince, "he is so very great and gallant, a true man among men!"  
  
She rolled her eyes lazily, "you know, there is such thing as too much of a good thing."  
  
***  
  
"Hey! Get yer hands outta there," The young man with broad shoulders yelled over one shoulder. He was slightly tanned, with black hair and amazing blue eye. A hat that now lay beside the sofa in front of him had muffled his hair, pulled back into a pigtail. On the sofa sat another young man, darker in composure with a sly look across his face.  
  
"What's wrong? Missing your fan club?" The sitting man taunted.  
  
The prince stopped, brushed off the tailor as he finished measuring his inseam and turned to the other man, "Oh ya, well at least I've got a fan club! Don't see maidens runnin' around shoutin' things other than, "Oh look! It's good Prince Hibiki! What a fine personality that boy has! Did you know he is so important to his country he stays in a completely different one with a different Prince unless he gets lost or falls into a pigpen? I wonder if he knows where amazing, powerful, interesting, and handsome Prince Saotome is. That Saotome, what a catch! Who would've believed, a man with brains and brawn! Why if I had a bunch of flowers and a golden cow I-," the Prince was cut off by a sudden jab to the chin.  
  
"Hey! You'll ruin my third best feature, my chin. Well, as is stated in the Saotome Sunrise, run and owned by my fans," Ranma bragged as he walked over to a table and opened the top drawer, revealing a large stack of papers. Ranma removed a few; grinning, and stuffed them in Prince Hibiki's face, "care for one?"  
  
Prince Hibiki tossed them away angrily, "You are so inane, Saotome!"  
  
Ranma stopped him, holding a finger up in front of his lips, "That's Prince Saotome and now we shall change the subject."  
  
"But," Ryoga began, fists starting to form into balls. Ranma noticed and jumped back, tripping over a couch and landing on his face, "y'know, I suddenly feel better for some reason," Ryoga laughed.  
  
Ranma got up groggily and ran to Ryoga's side, whispering with one arm over Ryoga's shoulder, "So are we all ready for tonight? Have you got yer stuff? Mine's all under my bed, almost didn't fit everything in one suitcase."  
  
Ryoga looked on, one eyebrow raised in disbelief, "A whole suitcase? Ranma, we are not going on a carriage tour of the country, we're running away. Do you hear me? Running away! As in running in the steal of the night . . . away from here. You'll be walking at a snail's pace, lugging that thing behind you! You're not taking it."  
  
Ranma fiercely countered, "I can carry it just fine! Its no skin off yer back if I have to carry more!"  
  
"It is if you're slow," Ryoga explained cooly, folding his arms over his chest.  
  
"Well I don't care," Ranma muttered, walking out of the room in a huff, "we leave at midnight, be here."  
  
***  
  
Akane wiped away the tears that still cluttered her eyes, "Stupid jerk! If my father were alive, he would never stand for this! If I could just turn back ti-," Akane was stopped by the sound of voices coming from the foyer.  
  
"King Tendo didn't," the voice said, finishing the sentence Akane only heard the tail end of.  
  
"Yeah, I saw it me self! He moved a bit, kinda flickered like a fly's wings, he did. He just disappeared fer a second and then came right back!" The voice that muttered this to the other sounded quite dumb and fumbled every word.  
  
"So if he flickered like ya said he did, what does that mean," the man asked skeptically, sighing loudly, but sounding a bit more intrigued.  
  
"Well I dunno," the second man fumbled, "unless it weren't really him."  
  
"Wasn't, you nit," the first man corrected.  
  
"Exactly, it wasn't him. Wow Edward, we finally agreed on somethin'," the man told 'Edward' happily.  
  
"No you idiot, I meant to say the right thing you should have said," there was a pause and it sounded like the man just gave up explaining, "oh forget it! Now, let's say your stupid, impossible idea was true," the other man nodded, "well if it was, and he wasn't, real that is, then where was the real King? And how did he disappear under our watchful eye?"  
  
The second man grew weary of the questioning but suddenly remembered something, "I heard a rumor, it's said that the King had a powerful enemy from Naslow and that he was so evil he could use the dark arts and even," the man stopped and bent closer to his friend. Akane had to strain her ears to hear, pushing her self against the closed door, "stop time. Therefore, they could have switched 'em. You gotta think though, if they were smart enough to stop time, ya don't wanna be spillin' their tea, if ya know what I mean!"  
  
The other man laughed in agreement and nodded a few times, "Why not a beer for yer fine story tellin'?"  
  
The man's tone changed from jolly to nervous, "ya really can't tell people Edward, you mustn't. For I know what I told ya was true, see a very good source told me."  
  
Edward stared into his friend's frightened eyes, "And who, of great reliability, told ya this?"  
  
"You're not gonna believe it, but it was-," Just as the man was about to utter the name the door gave and Akane fell flat on her face, out of her room and into the foyer.  
  
They stared at her and she quickly got up and brushed herself off, nervously she stared to the men who were in shock that someone had been eavesdropping on their conversation, "Good evening gentlemen," she said and quickly scuttled out.  
  
As she ran into the front hall of her house she fell into her uncle and he pulled her upright, facing him.  
  
He smiled, "My dear child, I have great news!"  
  
She cut him off, "So do I!"  
  
He smiled again, "Akane, you will be meeting your prince tomorrow." That stopped Akane's interruptions, she was shell-shocked.  
  
"Tomorrow? Why so soon? Shouldn't we have a," Akane had to think up something fast, "cooling off period," she tried meekly, but kept strongly to her idea, "after the proposal don't you think he should be able to have a little entertainment before he has to settle down?"  
  
"Akane! Why, the prince doesn't even know yet, it is a surprise made by his father and I, isn't that wonderful?" He asked. She sighed, her eyes tearing up again.  
  
"But father, he might be alive!"  
  
Her uncle sighed heavily, "Akane, I have under gone a lot with you and the rest of this family, but I do not want you speaking of your father. He died a good man and you must never say things of importance just to get a rise from me or any other person, do you hear me?" He asked sternly, frowning deeply.  
  
Akane started crying, "It is not a lie, I heard some guards," Akane began, but was interrupted again.  
  
"ENOUGH! I am sick of this, I try so hard and you lie to me, bring the dead in as cards in your game, I never want to hear this from you again," his face turned red as he stormed out of the room.  
  
Akane fell to the floor in tears. She stayed like that for quite a while until one of the newer maids came up to her, "Miss, are you all right?"  
  
"No, does it look like it? Are my sisters home? Nabiki, Kasumi," Akane began to call, sniffling in between syllables. The maid stooped down and patted Akane on the back.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss but they're not here at the moment. They've gone to town and decided to stay the night at a friend's house due to the weather."  
  
Akane creased her forehead in confusion, "The weather?"  
  
The maid nodded sweetly, "Yes Miss Akane, it's pouring out. Not a soul deserves to be out in this weather!"  
  
Akane nodded, smiled to the sweet maid and got up with her help. She slowly walked up the stairs, not speaking, only walking.  
  
"Miss, do you need help?" The maid asked dutifully, with obvious concern.  
  
"No," Akane muttered with a smile, "I'll be just fine on my own thanks."  
  
The maid looked on confused, "No Miss, I was talking about the statue in front of you," she smiled sweetly.  
  
"What?" Akane asked too late, falling into the suit of armor smack in front of her, "Well, this is a great start," she muttered angrily as she fell down the stairs.  
  
A/N: So, how was it? What do you think will happen next? If it seems a bit dark, it will get lighter, but not too light. I think fairytales should be somewhat sad, the real ones always are! If you have any suggestions just tell me! Review or I might forget to write the next chapter! Next chapter hopefully up soon! 


	2. Moments Like These

***  
  
Marriage is a mistake every man should make.  
  
--George Jessel  
  
***  
  
"Hey! It's my turn to use the reins," someone briskly scolded in the middle of the night. The carriage this voice trailed out of was black and could hold four people, but he was talking to the person outside the cart, the one steering their pinto, two black horses that trotted patiently. The man at the reins laughed and didn't flinch.  
  
"Ryoga, c'mon, we're gonna be halfway out the courtyard by morning at this rate. Either let me have a try or go faster," he yelled over the howling wind. Ryoga pretended not to hear, but at the same time increased his pace little by little.  
  
"So, where exactly are we going?" Ryoga inquired over his shoulder. Ranma shrugged and started staring outside the window again, pushing himself against the door and presses his forehead against the glass. Thinking Ranma didn't hear Ryoga began again, "Hey! Where are we going? Ever think of spending your royal funds on ear cleaners? They're rather good," Ryoga noted with satisfaction.  
  
"No. Just, no. I can't believe you hire people to clean your ears! It's so . . . so . . . like me," Ranma noted, smirking, "Y'know, I think I like the sound of that now!"  
  
"You sir, are an idiot," Ryoga muttered.  
  
"I can hear you and I ain't an idiot. And by the way, I don't know where we're gonna go, just away," Ranma shot up to the reins man. Ryoga rolled his eyes and slowed the pace, smiling mischievously, until Ranma started to scream again.  
  
"You are such a woman," Ryoga noted jauntily. Trying his best not to, Ranma began to laugh, then Ryoga laughed harder and Ranma did too and soon they were over their minor fight. Well, that was until they hit a road bump, except, road bumps didn't exist yet, and they knew that.  
  
"What was that?" Ranma asked, alert. Ryoga hopped off his seat and calmed the horses as Ranma jumped out of the carriage on the other side. They both slowly crept to the front, Ranma held a baguette in his hand, ready to strike. Ryoga looked over and pointed to the bread stick. Ranma stuck up his nose and motioned to the front of the cart. Ryoga shrugged and walked to the front of the carriage, Ryoga at the exact same place opposite him. As they stepped in front of the cart, peering every which way for signs of beasts.  
  
"We could have hit a wild animal," Ranma whispered hoarsely to Ryoga. He rolled his eyes and they both stared down.  
  
They stared down to the horses feet but nothing was there. They began to look around, into the ditches at the sides of the dirt road and noticed something. Ranma held his arm out and poked the large clump of mass with his baguette. It moaned loudly and Ranma jumped back, into fighting stance. Ryoga came over slowly, confused as to what was going on. As Ranma bent down to take a closer look he pushed the thing over onto its back. At that exact moment something grabbed at him, pulled at him and in a second he was down in the ditch, with the lump of mass at his side.  
  
"What are you doing," the thing murmured painfully. That was when Ranma figured it out; he figured they had hit someone, not something. He picked it up in his hands and carried it into the carriage. Ryoga just stared on in silence, not being able to comprehend what he had done. He stared at his hands and blubbered softly.  
  
"Well, are ya gonna help me or what? Open the damn door," Ranma instructed Ryoga as he rushed over. He opened it and looked on worriedly.  
  
"He isn't dead, is he?" Ryoga asked, nervously.  
  
Ranma chuckled, "Not unless he's got some new way of talkin' in his sleep," Ranma turned to look at Ryoga, "his eternal sleep. He winked and laughed again, "Don't worry, we only clipped him, maybe startled 'im and he fell into the ditch."  
  
There were more groans and the man tried to get up, his dark cloak hiding his features.. Ranma held the stranger's head up and the man became defensive, shielding its hood and keeping it up.  
  
"Are you all right man?" Ranma asked, concern obviously in his voice.  
  
The stranger coughed and his voice sounded odd, "Uhh, yeah, just great. I'll just be going," the man tried to get up but winced in pain as trying to stand and fell back into the carriage..  
  
Ryoga looked horribly grieve-stricken and took a step closer, "You should really stay with us, we owe you that much!"  
  
Ranma looked over angrily, shooting daggers in Ryoga's direction, "We're not taking stowaways. He says he's fine," Ranma nodded to the grimacing figure in front of him, "so he's . . . uh," the figure started to whimper and then his shoulders started to shake and he began crying, "umm, aw damn, fine," Ranma said in defeat, looking suspiciously over to the passenger, "no offence but ya really shouldn't cry," Ranma said uncomfortably, "I mean, it's kinda girly."  
  
Ryoga snickered and Ranma punched him in the shoulder. He hopped into the reins position and started the horses. The figure sniffled and sighed loudly, his voice cracking, sounding a tad feminine, "Well, it's none of your business if I cry or not! I could be eating horse hooves and carriage wheels and it would be none of your business," he scolded.  
  
"Hey," Ranma asked cautiously, "what do you think about gettin' married?"  
  
"Well, I think when the right person comes along, so will love," the person muttered, almost whispering the words.  
  
"Aha!" Ranma yelled as he pulled down the man's hood only to reveal a female figure beneath it.  
  
She tried to move away quickly but fell to her side, holding onto it, biting tears back.  
  
Ranma stared down and reluctantly helped her up, scooping her up off the floor. Her face stayed in a scowl as he settled her down into the seat across from his.  
  
He watched her scowl and finally got fed up, "What is it?"  
  
She scowled on and stared straight into his eyes, "How did you know I was a girl?"  
  
He rolled his eyes and explained, "No man would have given the answer you gave. About love," he said the word with spite, "and finding your "one". You're such a girl."  
  
"Well," Akane spat like it was obvious, "yeah."  
  
"Whatever, just wait there. Ryoga wont let you go, he's a sissy, but I'm gonna get rid of ya after your side gets better," Ranma muttered to himself, "if it's even hurt."  
  
Akane swiveled her head to face his again and screamed, "You know, I can hear you right? And I don't need your help!" Akane tried getting up but hesitated, sitting down again, never taking her eyes off Ranma, "but I guess I don't want to offend your friend."  
  
Ranma smirked and stared out the window, watching her every move out of the corner of his eye. Akane stayed to her side for a bit and then started to fall into a troubled sleep. Akane dreamt of wild beasts, the tallest trees she'd ever seen, and an amazing necklace, deep fuchsia and glowing.  
  
She woke up with a start, Ranma was talking to her and she had to ask him to repeat what he'd said before.  
  
"I said," Ranma paused. Something crossed his face for a second, something Akane couldn't put her finger on, it seemed almost worry like. She smiled and he stared back confused, "are you okay?"  
  
"Umm," Akane rubbed her temples and yawned, "yes, I think I'm okay. Why?"  
  
Ranma looked confused, "What d'ya mean "why"? I just wanted to make sure Ryoga wouldn't get upset!"  
  
"Y'know, I've never even met Ryoga, and yet, I am quite sure I like him positively more than you," Akane commented, staring out the window, trying to look as formal as she could.  
  
"Well," he laughed, "he thinks you're quite the man, and y'know what, I agree." He grinned widely and kicked his feet up next to her.  
  
She snorted in disgust and pushed his feet off the seat knocking him off his balance and causing him to trip over himself and fall to the ground. He shot a glance at her from the floor and noticed her laugh, a gleeful, free little giggle. He looked at her, into her eyes and smirked slyly, "Y'know, you aren't like anyone else I've ever met."  
  
She guiltily held her hand out to try and help, still holding onto her side with the other, "Thank you, I guess you're not as bad as I thought."  
  
"Oh," Ranma said, in a questioning tone, "I'll prove you wrong some day." He smirked again and latched onto her hand, pulling her down with him. She shrieked and fell to his side.  
  
She tried to get up but her side stung worse with every move she made, "What was that you lunatic?"  
  
Ranma shrugged, "I kinda thought I'd get ya back. I didn't know yer side hurt that much . . . ," he trailed off, "I'm sor-"  
  
Akane cut in, falling even further towards him, now only inches from his face. She sighed heavily, "Listen, I've had a really bad day."  
  
"That makes two of us," Ranma cut in, grinning coolly. He rested himself on one elbow and watched her go on.  
  
"I've just made a decision that I'm starting to think was stupid, I've been run over today for the first time in my life, and I just found out today that I am to be married to a prince! A bloody prince, can you believe it," Akane admitted, dumbfounded at his emotionless face.  
  
"Yeah, I bet yer real happy you get to meet a prince," he said, starting to get up, turning away from something he thought was there.  
  
Akane laughed, "Oh no way! I'd rather die then marry a prince!"  
  
Ranma slunk down again and just listened.  
  
"I mean, who needs a stuck up man who not only thinks he's the best man in the world, but has a following of girls? Am I right?" She asked eagerly, pleadingly staring into his eyes again. That made him uncomfortable, like he wasn't in the driver's seat.  
  
"I suppose you're talking about a certain prince? I mean, how many have fan clubs, right?" Ranma joked. Akane rolled her eyes.  
  
"Every single one! Y'know, I don't even know his name! Oh," Akane noticed, "I forgot, I don't even know your name." Akane waited for him to answer and wriggled closer to get a good look at him.  
  
"Well, I'm Ranma," he said nervously.  
  
Akane smiled, the carriage had warmed up by now and she was content, almost forgetting her problems, "Well Ranma, thank you for saving me tonight."  
  
He smirked again, "And after you were so cruel," he taunted.  
  
She felt herself coming closer to him, his hand reaching across her face and behind her neck, her head falling next to his as he pulled himself up to her. She could feel his breath, only an inch or two away. She forgot all she had been thinking of and the same went for him. He pulled himself closer, slower than anything and just as their lips were about to grasp onto each other the door to the carriage swung open and a brimming Ryoga looked on in a confused, half-expectant stare.  
  
Ryoga looked to Akane and she smiled, "I fell, and Ranma was helping me up. I hear you helped me even more than him, I'm Akane."  
  
Ranma began to protest but Ryoga cut him off, "It was nothing, but I thought you were, I mean, you evidently are not," he trailed off.  
  
Akane laughed, "a man? Yes, I am a woman and I'm sorry I might have led you to believe I was something I am not," Akane apologized sweetly.  
  
"Hey," Ranma yelped, "how come I didn't get an apology like that?"  
  
Akane looked to him angrily, "because you don't deserve it! You tripped me!"  
  
Ryoga looked to Ranma in an uproar, "You tripped A-a-Akane? That's it Ranma, prepare to die!"  
  
Ranma blocked Ryoga's attack and stared on in confusion, "what are you talking about Ryoga?"  
  
Ryoga looked to Ranma bitterly, "That's it Ranma, if I have to fight for her honor I will!"  
  
Ranma taunted, "Like you could beat me, pig-boy!"  
  
Ryoga looked over to Akane apologetically but noticed he was about to speak to air. He stared wildly about until he noticed a huge bird flying over them, with Akane in it's talons, "Oh no, we have to go get her!"  
  
"OH! So now you want to talk to yer good buddy Ranma, after the she-demon is gone," Ranma compiled.  
  
"Ranma, we have to help, we are princes," Ryoga explained as if it were common knowledge.  
  
Ranma didn't understand, "Soooo . . . ?"  
  
"So," Ryoga scoured his brain for a reason but found none, "it's just what we do. And if you don't," Ryoga added, a hint of warning in his voice, "I won't show you the map."  
  
Ranma rolled his eyes and turned to stare up at the sky, "Fine," he said, walking back to the carriage, "but I don't like stowaways," and muttered to himself, "especially not female ones."  
  
A/N: So how is the second chapter? If any one is OOC tell me. Akane is being some what nice to Ranma because she is being polite and doesn't know him yet. Review or I might forget to write the next chapter. Next chapter hopefully up soon! 


	3. Conversations

***  
  
Traditions are group efforts to keep the unexpected from happening. --Barbara Tober  
  
***  
  
Ranma was the first to walk into the sunlight again after they had decided to rest. The worried lines on his face only complimented his equally angry expressions , "Lemme get this straight; you stopped the carriage and let me and Akane out because you were lost?"  
  
Ryoga stared to the ground, ashamed of what he had done, "Well, it's not really my fault."  
  
Ranma stared back and raised his eyebrows. He folded his arms over his chest and gazed over Ryoga's shoulder, into the woods. Of course, he would have the same view from any other place he could be standing since they were lost in what looked to be a vast forest, "How'd ya even fit the horses and the carriage through this mess a' trees?" Ranma asked. The trees were thick and tall, they stood close, giving each other no personal distance at all.  
  
Ryoga scanned their surroundings and leafed his fingers through his hair, sitting on the stump he had been presiding on for almost an hour, "Ranma, I know this may come as a shock to you but," Ryoga looked up, heart-wrenching grimace obvious on his face, "I have a little problem with direction."  
  
Ranma kept his stare into the woods for a few tense moments longer until he could bear it no more, it started as a chuckle, then a chortle, then a full on giggle until it reached full blown laughter. He wiped his eyes, which had started to tear up relatively early, and spoke through uncontrollable spurts of laughter, "A little problem? Ya call goin' to the blacksmith's to pick up a horse shoe and comin' back," Ranma paused for dramatic effect, "three months late," he stuck up three fingers and added snidely, "returnin' without said hoofin' material, a minor weakness?"  
  
Ryoga rolled his eyes and gradually became aggressive, "It's my gift!"  
  
Ranma stopped laughing, "Your what?"  
  
"My gift," Ryoga explained again, "y'know, the thing the fairy gives to you at birth."  
  
"Ya," Ranma nodded in understanding waiting for Ryoga to continue.  
  
Ryoga shrugged, "Well, this is mine."  
  
"Aren't they supposed to be good?" Ranma asked in confusion.  
  
Ryoga jumped up in fury and shot a finger into Ranma's face, "Just because we aren't all as lucky as you, to have the gift of being undeniably irresistible to the female kind, it does not mean what we have are not still gifts. I wouldn't make something like this up," Ryoga stated pitifully, "it rules my life. I never asked for it. When I received it, I wasn't even house broken."  
  
Ranma walked over to him, put his hand on his shoulder and began, "Look, it's not all fun and games y'know, havin' to deal with all those girls all the time," Ryoga scoffed, but Ranma continued, un-stung, "I can never find someone that wants me for me, not because of a stupid gift given to me when I looked like a prune. Every girl I meet is blanketed by the curse – I mean gift – and every time I get close to courting a girl for real something happens, something that makes it so obvious that she only likes that side of me, and it's hard."  
  
Ryoga kept quiet and nodded, "It's nice to know that even the good ones turn out bad."  
  
Ranma turned away, "I've always believed in makin' my own choices, no one should make 'em for me and no one will, but I need to know it's me makin' 'em. So I made this personality that was akin to my gift, a character that accepted such things and so I would never have to feel . . . anything."  
  
Ryoga walked into the forest and waited after a few meters for Ranma, "Come on, we've got work to do."  
  
Ranma grinned and joined his comrade.  
  
"You know what we need Ranma?" Ryoga asked.  
  
"What?" Ranma questioned back, putting his arm around his buddy's shoulder, both helping each other through the woods.  
  
"Better fairies."  
  
***  
  
"Let me go! If you don't I'll," Akane had begun to run out of empty threats. She had used everyone she could remember existed and a few that didn't. She had threatened certain death, feigned sickness, and then threatened death some more, but all in vain, "I'll eat myself."  
  
The dragon, stooping down by its fire, laughed, "You'll what, little one?"  
  
"I'll eat myself," Akane told it boldly, "If there is none of me left to eat then you will simply go hungry."  
  
The dragon lifted its heavy head and let out a throaty chortle, "I could just go get another human, what good would you do yourself?"  
  
"Well," Akane stuttered, "I suppose I'd cause you some minor discomfort," she racked her brain for more; "perhaps you will be taking a bath and have to get out and find yourself another?" Akane tried.  
  
The dragon sighed and a flicker of sizzling smoke came out of each nostril on its scaly snout. Its snout, like the rest of its body, was auburn. Not deep auburn, or light auburn, just auburn, "Love, if you were me, what would you decide upon doing at a time like this?"  
  
Akane pondered this for a second and then spoke up honestly, "I would not eat me."  
  
The dragon laughed, "You are lying, and you are my food, just as the cow is yours."  
  
Akane tried to stand but the bars on the steel cage she was trapped in clanked as her chains hit them and she hated the sound. Her wrists and feet felt a rush of discomfort and she sat again, "Well I know I'd never eat dragon," she persisted.  
  
The dragon smirked, "You've never tasted dragon, have you?"  
  
Akane was shocked, "And you're telling me you have?"  
  
The dragon nodded.  
  
"How could you? They're your own kind," she reasoned, distraught at the thought of her self, eating babies by the dozen.  
  
"Hello, I'm a dragon! That means big, ugly, hateful," The dragon went on, "get the picture? We don't finger paint and talk about positive thoughts all day, you are such a human!"  
  
Well," Akane rationalized, "who says?"  
  
"Who says what?" The dragon asked, its long tail reaching over Akane's cage curiously.  
  
"Who says dragons have to be mean? I mean, all dragons that is, you could be nice," Akane told the beast, "and I think your scales are rather pretty."  
  
It got to its feet and began circling her cage, "That's absurd! That's like saying there's such thing as a friendly ghost!"  
  
Akane shrugged her shoulders and went on, "All I'm saying is you could change it, not be such a sheep."  
  
The dragon's nose filtered with blazing fire, "I am not a sheep! I live in the mountains, alone, that is not sleeplike; they live in packs."  
  
Akane mulled over this, "So what, you're more like a mountain yak?"  
  
This enraged the dragon and it raveled itself all the more tightly around her cage, 'You are lucky I am not quite hungry right now," it informed her gruffly, "Or else, you would make a light snack."  
  
Akane threw up her hands in frustration, "You always go back to the death threats! You're like a broken record. Jeez, do something original."  
  
"Fine," it said in desperation, "I'll starve you, then eat in front of you and make you suffer." It smirked with the idea.  
  
Akane rolled her eyes, "Your poor table manners would probably make me lose my appetite anyway, you'd be doing me a favor," she patted her stomach, "I could stand to lose a few pounds anyway."  
  
"Manners? I have excellent manners," the dragon defended.  
  
"Oh yes? You haven't even told me your name. A true host would have introduced himself by now," she explained, recalling every etiquette class she had hated dearly paying off now as she sat tall and looked like a real lady.  
  
"Well, I never saw it that way," the beast admitted, "allow me to introduce myself, I am Liquora of Mundan."  
  
Akane's cheeks went red, "You are a female dragon? I'm sorry, you were just so scary," she explained.  
  
Liquora sighed heavily, "Oh it's alright," she fumed, "I get it all the time. It's because of my old age, I mean, when you get invited to your three hundred year reunion you start to think about , y'know, where all the time went."  
  
"I'm sure you've done a lot of wonderful things," Akane consolidated.  
  
Liquora sniffled and two puffs of smoke burst out and right back into her nose, "No, I have no family, or friends, all I have at the moment is my title, my lair and you; which is pitiful by the way."  
  
Akane stared down, "Well if it helps, I'm to marry a prince. That's kind of like stealing a princess I suppose, of course I'm not the perfect model of one," Akane reminisced, "not by a long shot."  
  
"Aww, that's so sweet of you to say! I just hope you're as sweet to eat as you are to talk to," Liquora grinned, fangs showing.  
  
A/N: So? What do you think? Review or I might forget to write the next chapter! Next chapter hopefully up soon! 


	4. Settling In

***  
  
To receive gifts is to lose freedom --Sandi  
  
***  
  
"That Akane, she was something, huh?" Ryoga asked, trying to sound calm. What he didn't want Ranma to find out that the girl had made quite an impact on him, in such a short amount of time.  
  
"Yeah, if you go for that type," Ranma commented, sarcasm rich in his voice, "she wasn't really the kind of girl I'm used to, and I only stick to what I'm good at."  
  
Ryoga's cheeks became faintly pink, "She was beautiful though," he tried, staring at Ranma for some expression as they walked through the woods.  
  
Ranma shrugged, "Sub par."  
  
"Sub-par?" Ryoga became slightly angrier, "What do you want from a woman, Ranma?"  
  
Ranma shrugged again and sighed, "I don't know, a figure would be a good start," Ryoga felt Ranma's remark like a stab to the chest, "and she could stand to lose a little weight," Ryoga's heart panged again as Ranma continued, musing over the many things he'd want to change, "and of course her personality would have to go."  
  
Ryoga stopped him, "Ranma! Stop it, you're being an ass."  
  
Ranma raised an eye brow in astonishment, "Ya don't actually have feelings for this girl, do ya?"  
  
Ryoga's face turned beat red and Ranma laughed, "And if I did?"  
  
Ranma still looked on, astonished. He hoped over a fallen tree, trailing a bit behind Ryoga and quickly caught up, "It's just," Ranma tried to word it so his friend wouldn't go berserk, "well, you knew she was a her for a good seven minutes," Ryoga looked down, and Ranma pointed out another thing, "and most of those seconds were spent talkin' to me."  
  
"Well, true love doesn't take minutes, or hours, or seconds. It takes a different kind of unit of measurement! You don't hear people talking of how the met their husband or wife and knew they were in love after twenty-five minutes and thirty-six seconds of their company," Ryoga tried to counter but Ranma waved him off.  
  
"So what is this other measurement then? Love time?" Ranma questioned lightly.  
  
Ryoga dismissed the previous comments and continued walking hopping and trailing through the forest, "Never mind Ranma, you'll understand when you grow up."  
  
Ranma laughed, "Then you might as well tell me now because I'll never grow up. You know our curses are their strongest when we are fully adult."  
  
Ryoga stopped and turned to face Ranma, "You are serious?"  
  
Ranma nodded, staring away to hide the distress on his face.  
  
"You can't be young forever y'know," Ryoga tried to explain but Ranma just pushed ahead, 'you can't live in fear of what's next."  
  
Ranma swiveled around, fire in his eyes, "I'm not afraid! Don't you ever say that again!"  
  
His warning was not hollow, Ryoga could sense that, so he shut his mouth and just kept walking in silence, "I still say Akane is cute."  
  
Ranma, enjoying the change of subject, smirked, "I believe I am the last person in the world that would agree."  
  
***  
  
"That's adorable! Akane, you really are a delicious dish," Liquora complimented as Akane came out of the dressing room the dragoness had thrown her in. She had managed to pull on a dark pink satin gown that look almost like a slip, gloves to match and all.  
  
"It seems rather thin," Akane exclaimed. She was used to big frilly dresses but underneath this she wore nothing except her undergarments.  
  
Liquora explained, "I had someone in here for quite a while that enjoyed making dresses. I didn't have much fabric so I brought some from China, vibrant beautiful colored ones, and she made this one and others," Liquora paused for a second, reminiscing a forgotten dream; "I sure do miss her."  
  
"She was human?" Akane gasped. Liquora had put her in a gown while the fire grew, but if she had held house with a human perhaps history could repeat itself.  
  
"Yes, but don't get any ideas, princess," Liquora warned, eyes so thin they looked like sheets of paper.  
  
Akane stiffened, 'Please don't call me that. You are about to eat you so you may as well count that as my last request."  
  
Liquora hummed to her self and pretended not to hear, "Last requests are so old, I don't do them."  
  
"Well then, you should start," Akane attempted, "maybe if you did you wouldn't be such a mountain yak."  
  
Liquora became furious, "Do you not understand how powerful I am? I could crush you in a second!"  
  
"See, back to the anger issues! You're so depressed, why so down? You're a dragon, a very powerful one I assume, with much power. Yet you live alone, why?" Akane asked, curiosity getting the better of her.  
  
"Because there is no one willing to stay with me," Liquora said in a huff and went back to the fire to put the water on to boil.  
  
"I would!" Akane exclaimed.  
  
She scoffed, "I highly doubt it, the moment I let you free you'll run off."  
  
"I will not," Akane defended, "if I promise to stay I will, I am not a liar!"  
  
She smirked, "Fine, I'm going to let you go, if only to prove a point. The night will soon come and I can prey upon a few travelers, lost on an adventure when you leave."  
  
"But if I stay will you promise not to eat me?" Akane asked, regretting it but still holding her head high.  
  
The dragoness mused over this, "Yes, I presume I would if you decided what you will not decide to do."  
  
"Then set me free," Akane commanded.  
  
The fire breathing fiend stood back and Akane watched her circle in, take the shackles she had attached after the dress had been put on off, rubbing her hands gently.  
  
"Thank you," Akane said gratefully.  
  
"Go ahead now little one," the dragon smiled, "you were worth the inconvenience."  
  
"You know, you are the second person to tell me that in the last week," Akane told her grinning and thing back to Garon, "now what's for supper?"  
  
***  
  
It had been ten days since Ranma and Ryoga had embarked on their journey to the top of the mountain the dragon obviously resided in. The bones of dead travelers lay on either side of the make shift path they had found. Berries, springs and small animals had been their food and Ryoga didn't mind one bit. At the end of each day he would smile and say, "We are getting closer. I presume we'll make it by morning!" Then morning would come, their destination not made yet, but he still continued to be persistently positive.  
  
"Would you just shut up about that mornin' junk?" Ranma complained loudly as night fell.  
  
Ryoga kept staring up and they were indeed almost there, but Ranma didn't want to know.  
  
"I'm dying here and your traveling vixen is probably dead. Why should we have to suffer on account of a person without a last name to our recollection?" Ranma continued, "What's the point?"  
  
Ryoga shot a glance at him and explained again, "Because we are princes, it's our sworn duty! Besides, bad things happen to good people, you know that, we can't just let this go by."  
  
Ranma stared down to where Ryoga was nodding, his chest. His hair got in his eyes as they were bit by the cold but he nodded bitterly, "fine," Ranma caved, in a very feminine voice.  
  
***  
  
"Breakfast Quora," Akane yelled over her shoulder. She had had a hard time choosing a nickname for the dragon but had decided on Quora.  
  
The dragon bellowed as it stretched itself out and got up groggily, "Hello Akane darling, how are you this morning?"  
  
Akane smiled and stared back at the scaly queen in front of her. In the past few days she had formed a stable, sweet relationship with the dragon. Liquora would tell her good night every time the sun went down and threaten to kill her in the morning, and then in the morning pretend she never said a thing. Akane had found a sort of serenity here, she was not expected to be anything but a cook, and that suited her fine. She had figured out soon after their first encounter that the dragon and she had more than she had first thought in common. They both were expected to be things they were not, and it made them both happy to share the burden with each other.  
  
"Fine, thanks," Akane picked up a large bucket, "I'm just going to get some water, I'll be back in a bit."  
  
The dragoness nodded, "Will do."  
  
Akane smiled at her again and lugged the big bowl closer to the door. She picked it up and juggled with the bowl until she had walked down to a nearby spring. She had chosen it over all the other ones because everything that came from it tasted better. She bent down to fill the bowl and was startled to feel two hands, on wither side of her hips, pulling her into the underbrush.  
  
"What in the King's name!" Akane exclaimed.  
  
"Finally, c'mon, we've gotta get to Ryoga and get outta here," Ranma told her as he pulled her farther into the bushes and away from the water hole.  
  
Akane pushed him away, angrier than ever, "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Ranma fell back in confusion, "Saving you, you could at least show some appreciation to the guy that saved your life!"  
  
Akane swiftly got up and folded her arms over, still as upset as before, "Well I don't need saving," Akane explained, walking back to the watering hole and filling up the jug again.  
  
"Wait, what?" Ranma asked, fury beginning to build up inside him. If he had taken all this time to get up here and save this psycho only to have her decline his help, somebody would pay.  
  
"I'm perfectly fine here, thanks," Akane told him again, having trouble with the heavy bowl. Ranma charged over and bent down, watching her fill the pot in astonishment.  
  
"Listen princess, I didn't come all this way to get sent the other way. It wasn't even my idea to come save you, I'd much rather have gone on," Ranma told Akane, gritting his teeth.  
  
"So you would have left me in danger, at the clutches of a fire breathing dragon?" Akane asked, irately.  
  
Ranma rolled his eyes, "You're fine though."  
  
Akane butt in, "But you couldn't have known I would have been fine. You sir, have no heart," Akane deduced and started trying to fill the jug again.  
  
Ranma sighed and reached to help Akane, "C'mon, Ryoga's waiting. I had to leav3 him by himself, which is never a good idea, and I have to be getting back."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you and your friend but I'd much rather be here," Akane politely stated, standing and dragging the jug across the dirt.  
  
Ranma followed fast behind her, "Babe, listen, it's not my decision, come talk to Ryoga. Besides, it's dangerous for a girl up here."  
  
Akane turned and pointed a finger to Ranma's face, "If I were you, I'd be the one worried about my safety up here."  
  
Ranma took her finger in his hand and stared right into her eyes, letting his curse take over. He hated using it, hated not giving himself and the person he used his gift on the choice, but he had to. Leaving Ryoga alone for ten minutes was insane, yet alone an hour, "Please," Ranma began, in his most seductive, wonderful voice, "come with me."  
  
It was only a matter of a few seconds until she would pick her self up and follow him anywhere he wanted her to go. Every time he did this, something died inside of him, something he could never get back.  
  
Akane stared back and everything went quiet, "No."  
  
Ranma's jaw dropped.  
  
A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed! Please review or I might forget to write the next chapter. Next chapter hopefully up soon! 


	5. Its Nature

----------------------  
  
"The greatest gift is a portion of thyself."  
  
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

----------------------  
  
Akane watched as Ranma's eyes glazed over. There was a long pause until he broke the silence with a blink and in an instant his peepers were back to the startling blue she had remembered.  
  
"So," she began, "what's with the face?"  
  
Ranma shrugged but kept his eyes on her, quite suspiciously, "I've got no clue what you're yakkin' about."  
  
Akane stifled a laugh at the word "yak" reminiscing her times with her wonderful, joyful friend; her friend that breathed fire, her friend that ate princes like Saotome for lunch, literally. Akane smirked; she had an idea.  
  
"I suppose," Akane mulled, walking closer to Ranma, inches away, "that since you've done oh-so-much for me I should accept."  
  
Ranma nodded and smirked in triumph, "I like the way ya think."  
  
"Of course, I'll need my affects," Akane stated, staring up at Ranma, twirling her fingers around the top of the water jug.  
  
Ranma nodded obligingly, "I guess, but do it quick!" He stared at her again, his eyes clouding over for a second. Akane opened her mouth in atonement until he quickly turned and the clouds disappeared.  
  
"Thank you," she acknowledged, slightly derailed by his appearance.  
  
He was one of those men, the kind that if they were chewed up by a rabid bear, kicked into a pit of dirt, rolled around with pigs, and had their hair colored orange in a spell of utter incompetence would still look like a million bucks. So, to no surprise, he looked good now, very good. His hair was frayed, he was dirty from the rough camp he slept in every night, and he looked tired, but the kind of tired some men only dream of.  
  
What?" Ranma asked, unable to notice her surprise in how well he kept himself, even in the harsh terrain.  
  
Akane rolled her eyes, "You look tired."  
  
She noticed his face go a shade paler and laughed, "What is it?"  
  
Ranma felt his face, "I've never looked tired in my life," he explained, worrying a wrinkle could have tarnished his youthful face.  
  
"Maybe because you've never broken a sweat working in your life," Akane muttered, rolling her eyes, slowly starting to walk back to the lair she had called home for the past week and a bit.  
  
"I have so!" Ranma countered defensively, looking quite hurt, "I train for more than four hours per day! Ya know, it's not all fun and games being a goddamn prince! It's not like the freakin' fairy tales, I have problems too!"  
  
Akane shrugged again, trying to make herself look as steadied as possible, but to no avail. Her eyebrows perked and she met his gaze and they realized they had something in common.  
  
"You do too?" Ranma inquired, almost listlessly.  
  
"Yes, how did you know I was a martial artist too," Akane asked, taken aback. She was worried she was starting to look too buff. If anyone found out she trained, because she had been prohibited at a very young age, she could get in loads of trouble.  
  
"Your eyes," Ranma explained, deadpanned, "but that wasn't what I was talking about," he took a large step forward and overtook Akane.  
  
They were at the opening to the cave now, "I'll umm . . . be back," Akane promised, nervously fumbling with her dress.  
  
"I'll be here," Ranma said, Akane unable to read his expression.  
  
As she stepped forward, ready to make her entrance to the cave, she heard a shrill scream and stared forward in horror.  
  
Liquora stood, with a pot in front of her, a boy in a cage, and a few dozen carrots lying on the ground. She had slumped herself over a large cookbook and was studying it furiously, chewing on one of the many carrots as she did, 'Hello dear," she welcomed, "I'm going to need that water." She pointed to Akane's jug with a carrot.  
  
Akane gaped in astonishment as the boy stood up. In fact, he wasn't a boy at all, but a young man.  
  
The young man looked up and his eyes grew larger, "Akane?"  
  
She gaped and almost fell over, "Ryoga? Liquora let him go!"  
  
"Run Akane, this is no place for you!" Ryoga warned, straining his voice.  
  
"What are you doing?" Akane asked, backing away from the sight, confused beyond belief.  
  
Liquora laughed delighted, "Having lunch sweet pea. Be a dear and pass another carrot."  
  
Akane didn't move, "He's my friend," she explained gingerly, "what are you doing to him?" Her eyes were beginning to blur, face turning red, and her legs buckled beneath her.  
  
Liquora turned around, concerned, "Akane, are you okay?" She pushed the book aside and came toward Akane, to comfort her.  
  
"NO!" Akane screamed, pushing herself away and curling into a ball.  
  
"Get away from her, you beast!" Ryoga warned from the cage.  
  
Liquora backed away, baffled by her attitude, "What is wrong dear? Are you sick?"  
  
"You're the one that's sick! You," Akane screamed, her legs regaining composure, tears spilling, "are a monster!"  
  
Liquora stepped forward again and put a talon on Akane's shoulder, "I'm a dragon Akane, it's what I do. I've been having take-out since you came but I thought it was time you got used to me coming back," she explained, in the most motherly way she could, "with game."  
  
"No. Just," Akane hid her head, "get AWAY from me!"  
  
At that point Ranma burst in and took in the scene: Ryoga in a cage, a pot boiling and Akane in the grasps of a dragon. He started to get a little mad.  
  
"Get your hands offa her," Ranma said slowly to the dragon. It took its scaly claw off Akane and turned around in amazement.  
  
"Why should I?" It asked sweetly, but began to circle, just as Ranma did.  
  
"Cause if ya don't," Ranma grinned devilishly, "you're in for a whole lotta pain!"  
  
"Oh really?" Liquora mused, "Don't make promises you can't keep honey!"  
  
Ranma took of the jacket he had been wearing to reveal a red shirt, ready to fight. Liquora swooped in fast, catching him off guard. Akane shrieked and Ranma turned around, slightly too late. Liquora smirked evilly.  
  
"Pinned ya," she hissed, letting steam seep out of her scaly nostrils and onto Ranma coughing face.  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut, crinkling up his face so as the burning steam wouldn't hurt him. He felt the tingle, the sensation of it. It felt as if it wasn't burning but seeping through him. Going from one layer to another and he opened his eyes, screaming in pain. He stared into one big scaly eye of Liquora's and she suddenly stopped.  
  
Abruptly, Liquora's expression changed. She sympathetically, and extremely guiltily, picked him up in her arms and rocked him back and forth, "Oh love of my life, reason I exist," Liquora breathed, "how could I ever had done this to you?" She stroked his hair gently and ran, still grasping him in her arms, to one of her many filing cabinets.  
  
She chose one and opened it, revealing a small packet of orange crystals. She ripped off the top of the clear bag and dumped it on top of Ranma. She whispered, hovering above Ranma's face, inaudible to human ears. Suddenly, his face morphed from tarred to normal, in seconds. He reached up in astonishment and sighed in relief.  
  
"You're welcome, darling," Liquora said sweetly, "can I get you something, lover, anything?"  
  
Ranma, Akane, and Ryoga stared dazedly, just catching up with the situation.  
  
"What?" They all asked in unison.  
  
Liquora smiled earnestly at Ranma and he rolled his eyes, finally understanding what had happened.  
  
Ryoga burst out laughing, figuring out second. He fell down, banging his fists on the stone floor.  
  
Akane just stared on, a puzzled look on her face.  
  
Ranma stood up, on his own, and placed his hands on his hips and a stern look on his face. He turned to Ryoga, mid full-blown laughter, and turned to his new admirer, "I suppose you're hungry, no?"  
  
Ryoga stopped and clamored up, tripping and falling next to Akane. He blushed wildly and smiled nervously. Akane watched Ranma and the dragon, Liquora chasing him around the room making all sorts of proposals.  
  
"Get away ya freak!" Ranma screamed, trying to command the love-struck dragon.  
  
"But my sweet," she persisted, "it's destiny!"  
  
Akane tried not to but suddenly started to giggled. Everyone seemed to stop dead in their tracks, staring at her. She turned her gaze to just Ranma, grinning madly, "You sly fox, you!"  
  
At this Ryoga burst out laughing again and Akane joined in. Liquora looked on confused and Ranma stomped out of the cave furiously. Ryoga walked over to Liquora and started quizzing her on all her knowledge of her "soul mate". Having fun with it, he told her she should write down the directions to the cave, in case they ever got lost and needed to find a way back. She nodded earnestly and they set to making one.  
  
Akane sighed, sitting on a small ledge of rock at one side of the cave. She kicked the ground and got up, swiveling in a circle and walking towards the exit. When she got outside she stretched her arms up high and was overjoyed she still had the satin pink dress on. It was light and kept her cool, she decided she would never wear a big dress again.  
  
She heard a sniff on her right and noticed Ranma, sitting on a stump throwing rocks at a tree. She tilted her head and watched him for a second. His head hung back and his hair covered his eyes.  
  
She slinked over and sat down beside him, staring forward.  
  
"D'ya know why I started practicing martial arts?" He asked, still staring forward, sounding kind of distant.  
  
Akane stammered, not knowing if the questioned was addressed to her, or anyone at all for that matter, "Ummm."  
  
"I wanted to show everyone," Ranma told no one in particular, "show 'em I didn't need my curse, didn't need some fairy's pity present, to help me win a fight. I trained everyday, every night of my life. My pop helped, but only made my life more complicated," Ranma stopped for a second, as if he was waiting for someone to finish his explanation, "And for just one fight," his voice became raspy, "Just one goddamn fight, I want it to be me that wins, not my stupid gift."  
  
"What is your gift?" Akane inquired, "If you don't mind my asking."  
  
Ranma laughed spitefully, "I, have the gift of "being undeniably irresistible to the female kind" or somethin' like that."  
  
Akane shrugged, "That doesn't sound too bad."  
  
Ranma shot a glance at her, "Ya don't know what your talkin' about. Some gifts suck, even though they might sound fun, they're not."  
  
Akane shot an even worse look back, "What? You think my gift's so great? Just because I don't brood around all day it doesn't mean what I was given was good!"  
  
Ranma stayed silent for a second, "Go on."  
  
Akane smiled sarcastically and continued, "Mine is, "to see what is unseen and learn by the sword, to fight for what's right and never want to get bored." She even sucked at rhyming!"  
  
Ranma stared listlessly ahead, "Okay, so that does sound kind of bad, but still, nobody ever takes me seriously, they all just wanna wed me."  
  
"I imagine that's someone's dream out there," Akane said, nodding at the fading sun ahead of them. Ranma smirked.  
  
"Ya, yours too," he deduced.  
  
"Well," Akane told him, grasping his hand and tugging it gently, "I think I can cheer you up."  
  
Ranma raised an eye brow, "And how's that?"  
  
"If it's any help, I hate your guts," Akane explained, beaming.  
  
A/N: Okay so I bet you're all wondering why Akane seems immune to Ranma's gift. Well, all will be revealed in upcoming chapters! Review or I might forget to write the next chapter! Next chapter hopefully up soon!


	6. Decisions

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The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers. -- M. Scott Peck  
  
---------------  
  
They had gotten out of there quickly. Liquora had started proposing to Ranma and he yanked Ryoga and Akane out of the cave.  
  
"Nice to see you're finally pulling your weight around here Saotome," Ryoga quipped. Ranma swiveled around, sneered, and turned back again.  
  
Akane watched the little exchanges the two had every so often. One would start something then they would fight about it and after get quiet. In another few minutes the other one would start something else and they would be off again. 'Honestly,' Akane thought, 'boys just can't stop fighting!'  
  
"Hey Ryoga, there's a farm comin' up, why don't we stop there and say "Hi" to some relatives," Ranma innocently proposed. Ryoga's face flushed and he paled.  
  
He laughed nervously and turned to Akane, "That Ranma needs pills, and such a joker! He loves making things up," he glared at Ranma, "never trust him."  
  
Akane laughed, "Well, that'll be easy."  
  
Ryoga stared into the forest, "It's getting darker, is there really a farm coming up?"  
  
Ranma nodded, walking a few paces ahead. This annoyed Akane beyond end because every time she tried to be a step ahead of him he would quicken his pace just slightly, enough to get ahead of her. Frustrated and upset, she tried pestering him.  
  
"Ranma, what is your obsession with being first, ahead of everyone?" Akane asked, miffed.  
  
Ranma grinned cheekily, Akane was starting to get used to that, "I was a natural born leader, baby."  
  
Akane rolled her eyes and stared deadpanned at him, "Never," she emphasized, "Ever call me that again."  
  
Ranma took the warning lightly and continued, "Why sweet pea? Gonna cry?" He continued to taunt her as she stopped walking and something brown and shiny materialized in her fist. Ranma craned his neck to get a better look, walking backwards.  
  
Akane smiled, this was her time to shine, if she could only lift the damn thing this time. It came faster than she thought it would and as she felt the heavy blade drag her down, Ranma swooped in and lifted it up, stealing it out of her grasp.  
  
"Nice sword," he complimented. Akane couldn't decide who he was complimenting, the sword or her. He stared at the emblem, "who gave it to you?"  
  
Ryoga stared on as they argued lightly over the sword, both completely calm with the situation while he looked on exasperated, "Is everyone missing the fact that that came out of nowhere?"  
  
Ranma and Akane turned, confused. He looked to Ryoga snickering, "Why? Afraid I'll gut ya?" Ranma swooped forward, swatting at Ryoga with the heavy blade. It flopped and fell threw the air unsteadily, but after a few minutes Ranma got a hold on the blade and swung it.  
  
Ryoga turned to Akane, "Never give him any weapon, he's like a child." Ranma came at him again. Ryoga screeched, "A very dangerous, insane, and inane child!"  
  
Ranma laughed again and held the sword up high. Akane snatched it from his hands and Ranma quickly felt the emptiness in his hands, "Hey! Give it back!"  
  
"It's mine, jerk!" Akane yelled back, holding on to it seemingly well, "I just needed someone to help me pick it up."  
  
Ranma smirked, "What would ya do without me?" He sauntered over next to her, grinning like an idiot.  
  
"Not have homicidal urges," Akane deliberated almost immediately, with no time to think.  
  
"Wow," Ranma responded, almost awestruck, "didn't take ya long to figure that."  
  
"Well," Akane explained, stepping over a log, grasping Ranma's hand. She felt the pressure she was holding over to him through their hands, "I've had ample time to mull."  
  
"Right," Ranma said, trying to sound distinguished.  
  
Ryoga did not notice the crack in Ranma's voice. It was almost inaudible, except if you were paying close attention to him, which Ryoga was not. Akane was though, smiling widely now, staring back at Ranma as she kept walking, watching him hesitate for a second, trailing after her.  
  
---------------  
  
Ranma's mind spun. The thing he didn't want to tell the others was slowly haunting him. He didn't want to admit what Liquora told him was true but it made so much sense. Akane had been extra nice to Ryoga and increasingly mean to him, she had also been unable to be bended by his curse, which still confused him but could be a factor.  
  
See, what he didn't want his fellow comrade, and basically his brother, to know was: while Ryoga and Akane had been busy raiding Liquora of assets such as bread and such, he had been in her clutches. Mostly she had yelled empty promises, but when she saw they were not working, her mind reeled. She decided to let him in on a secret, dragons could seem the future, although minimally. She had told him some things, horrible things. Things that he pretended didn't affect him and some things he couldn't help but notice did.  
  
She had told him there was more to every person's gift and that if he wanted to understand it, and in the meantime retract his curse, he should find a man named "Kuno". Ranma asked why and she explained that, unbeknownst to this gentleman, he contained the knowledge of every person's gift.  
  
She had also told him other things; things to do with Ryoga and a certain newly acquired fiancé. He had not known what the word meant and she laughed knowingly, telling him he soon would and would have wished he'd never asked. Ranma was confused by the grin the beast gave as she fed him the information, it seemed jealously ran through it, but it was becoming slightly immune.  
  
"I adapt," it explained before Ranma could ask.  
  
Things were so complicating but Ranma came to a few conclusions: Never mess with dragons He had to find Kuno, but he didn't know where to look Akane was Ryoga's new fiancé  
  
It had made so much sense and yet it came as sort of a surprise to Ranma. He didn't like the girl, but obviously he felt bad that Ryoga had to be tied down to such a nitwit. He also came to one more conclusions after more mulling: Akane knew.  
  
That's what had hit him hardest, what had hurt him the most. He would never admit to anyone, even himself, but his contradicting feelings had been the center of his attention, pushing his wants and needs aside for once. Now, he watched Akane glance to Ryoga and smile, he'd grin back but not know any of the information Ranma did.  
  
Ranma felt awkward, like a third wheel. For the first time in his life he felt a little hollow, and no matter how many distractions fell his way, he couldn't explain it. He couldn't forget that what was happening was already done, already set in motion, and no matter what side tracked emotions he might have had, they would be laid to rest. Ryoga was his friend, and Ranma would never hurt his own honor in exchange for a brush off from a girl he barely knew.  
  
That was when Ranma had bolted, grabbed the two lovebirds and fled, not caring if he hurt them. He had hurtled himself and the others as far as he could from the cave, from the monster inside.  
  
Liquora's last words rang true in his head still now, "Love is not a mastered art; it is an event in time, something you cannot just erase. It's stronger than anything else, and it will never, ever leave you."  
  
Ranma stood strong, he'd prove her wrong.  
  
---------------  
  
The farm was rickety. It seemed rusty and uninhabited, but the three wayward heroes went on, the tone the farm set striking no fear in their hearts. Tears bitten back, unnoticed by her companions, Akane strode quickly up to the farm. She had never been away from home for this long before and it was starting to catch up with her. She thought she could handle it, but the harsh reality of it all was slowly setting in. She gazed to either side; Ryoga fiddled with the straps of his backpack and, feeling the heat of Akane's gaze, turned nervously to her, laughing uneasily. She smiled back genuinely and then turned to her other side. Ranma quickly shot his head in the opposite direction in an attempt to make it seem like he had never been staring at her.  
  
"What?" She asked, irritated. He had probably been mocking her behind her back again. The last time she had caught him doing it, he just stuck out his tongue and called her a "weakling".  
  
"Huh?" He asked, seeming genuinely shaken, as if out of a trance, "What's your problem?" His defenses rose quickly, always had and always would.  
  
"Why do you keep staring at me? What? Do I have something on my face?" Akane asked, feeling for anything hanging from her mouth or nose. Ranma laughed.  
  
"No, ya freak, you're," he took a second to phrase his answer as Ryoga waited for his response, ready to strike at the mere thought of a bad word. Akane waited, wondering why she was in such anticipation. He licked his parched lips and coughed, staring to Akane and Ryoga, "fine," he coughed again, hoarsely, "you're good."  
  
Akane felt somehow disappointed. She knew it was the first time in a while Ranma hadn't dismissed her entirely and it actually could count as a compliment, but it seemed to fail her.  
  
"Just . . . good?" Akane asked, acknowledging that what she felt inside was pain, hurt.  
  
Ranma stared back, seeming to weigh scales in his mind, staring from Akane to Ryoga and back again. Not able to make eye contact, he nodded and ran his fingers through the front of his hair, staring back coldly, "Ya, what were ya expectin'?"  
  
Akane felt herself physically deflate. Now that hollowing, eating away at her was turning into something else, passionate rage, "Nothing of course, it is you were talking about." She spat the words bitterly and then stopped walking; noticing they had been busy discussing . . . other matters and didn't notice they had arrived at the front of a large barn.  
  
Ryoga stared at Ranma, knowing Akane's mood change had to be Ranma's doing, and for once, he was right, "Ranma, what did you say?"  
  
"Nothing." Ranma said impersonally. He stared back at Akane for a second and then remembered the door. Just as his knuckles were about to graze it, it swung open and a burly man with a bushy beard answered, grinning widely and enveloping Ranma in a hug.  
  
"My son," he barked, "finally!" Ranma tried to escape the clutches of the man but could not. He leant into Ranma and whispered, "You've got a lot of explaining to do!"  
  
Akane raised an eyebrow, questioning Ranma and he shrugged distantly, noticeably unable to feel the warmth around him. Akane became worried, why had he been acting so detached?  
  
"So Ranma," a voice from the back uttered, more confused than his party, "we meet at last."  
  
A/N: So should Ranma believe Liquora? And who is the mystery person? Review or I might forget to write the next chapter! Next chapter hopefully up soon! 


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